Remember When The Lights Went Out in Laramie? Dan Mullen Does

LAS VEGAS -- "You better figure it out."

That was Dan Mullen's message to quarterback Alex Smith on a frosty, bizarre night in Laramie more than two decades ago.

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"I do remember it being so cold," UNLV's head coach recalled on Thursday at Mountain West Media Days, referring to his last trip to Laramie as an assistant at the University of Utah back in 2004. "I had such big gloves on. If you don't see (the signals), call whatever you want. It's too cold."

Smith, a Heisman candidate and future No. 1 overall NFL Draft selection, wasn't phased one bit by the near 100-minute brownout, throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns, leading the seventh-ranked Utes to a 45-28 victory and the program's second straight Mountain West crown.

He also led the team in rushing, gashing the Pokes to the tune of 105 yards and a score.

Three Wyoming turnovers on its first four drives didn't help matters.

Just before the scheduled kickoff, in front of a national television audience, no less, the lights went out inside War Memorial Stadium.

During the delay, Mullen recalled, then head coach Urban Meyer was concerned about the extended layoff and whether or not the frigid conditions would impact his spread-option attack.

Mullen smiled, reminiscing about a foggy, icy game in Colorado Springs. He brought up a 3-0 victory over archrival BYU. A blizzard limited the offense in that version of the Holy War.

A fifteen degree night on the high plains, he joked, was child's play.

"Urban takes me out, like, we go on the field and I think we have half the lights on," Mullen said. "... Urban, he looks at me and he's like, 'What do you think, offensively? Can we get this done out here?' I was like, we'll figure it out. Let's go. Let's play it."

The Utes racked up 318 yards of offense in the first half while building a 31-7 lead. The visitors rolled up nearly 500, in total, moving to 10-0 on the season. Utah put 52 points on BYU the following week and punched its ticket to the Fiesta Bowl, becoming the first non automatic qualifying school to play in a BCS bowl game.

Wyoming, meanwhile, finished the season 7-5 overall and claimed the program's first postseason victory since 1966. That came via a 24-21 upset of UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Mullen followed Meyer to the University of Florida after the Utes knocked off Pittsburgh in the Arizona desert.

Those two won a pair of national championships together in Gainesville. Mullen would eventually land his first head coaching gig at Mississippi State, where he led the Bulldogs for nine seasons.

Florida would again come calling on its former offensive coordinator.

Mullen spent four years in the swamp, leading the Gators to a 34-15 overall record and trips to the Peach, Orange and Cotton Bowls.

In December, UNLV named Mullen the 14th head coach in program history.

He says he's thrilled to be back. Yes, even though he will be making a return trip to Laramie this October.

"We had so much fun," Mullen said, referring to his brief two-year stint in Salt Lake City. "We had so many crazy, fun experiences in the league. Some great venues, great games. Exciting places."

The Cowboys and Rebels will meet Oct. 4 on homecoming in Laramie. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m.

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